An Affordable Motion Tracking Suit? Devika is Making it Happen With LNTS

An Affordable Motion Tracking Suit? Devika is Making it Happen With LNTS

Posted on May 23, 2017

Most of the time we don’t even think about how we move. We don’t need to - by adulthood, we know how to physically move around so well that it’s automatic. But when your brain can’t work out how to move your body properly it can be incredibly frustrating. Whether you’re trying to recover from an injury or just improve your golf swing, it can take a great deal of time for your mind to learn or relearn movements, even with professional assistance. But through the use of motion tracking technology one company is looking to better connect the brain with the body.

Latella Neuro-muscular Training Systems (LNTS) in conjunction with Devika are developing a motion capture suit and software that will be significantly more affordable than current systems. The system is leading the way for enhanced healthcare (such as paperless physiotherapy practices) as well as helping professional athletes improve their technique.

Focusing on the simple concept of “connecting the brain to the body” the LNTS motion capture system will be the first of its kind. Using a motion capture suit developed by fellow startup Enflux, the system will be able to capture the movements made by people wearing the affordable motion tracking suit. The information collected through this process can then be used to immediately collate physiotherapy results, improve rehabilitation programs, and enhance the performance of professional athletes.

The LNTS method will make motion-capture technology far more accessible. Photograph: Supplied

LNTS’ Skip Latella and Tommy Dee say that the motion capture and analysis system is the first of it’s kind. Motion capture technology has of course been around for years - but its hefty price tag (upwards of $30,000 USD) has prohibited anyone without significant financial backing from accessing it. In comparison the LNTS suit and software is only expected to cost a few hundred dollars, making it far more accessible to the average consumer or business.

Wondering how the suit and software works?

The Enflux suit contains 10 Bluetooth connected sensors - when a person puts it on their movements are captured by the LNTS system and the resulting data is transferred to a computer. The data is then analyzed and sent to off to the appropriate party. Data collected from the suit and LNTS software will allow users to make adjustments to their movements in real time, potentially reducing time spent in rehabilitation or training.

Working with affordable motion tracking suits and products for over 30 years worth of work by LNTS founder Skip Latella who has long been interested in the possibility of online training and fitness, as well as the idea of ‘virtual labs’. He says that since not everyone can have a sports scientist or physiotherapist with them for rehab or performance purposes, the LNTS suit works as an efficient and easily understood substitute.

“Using the internet and using technology, [we can] visually show people how they can improve,” says Latella.

“The technology is going to be able to produce real results in real time that are actionable.”

Already the project is attracting interest from outside the tech industry. LNTS have already been involved with the USA Archery team and professional golf and baseball players. Whatever the sport you play, or the physical rehabilitation you need the LNTS suit and system will be of benefit.

Latella and Dee estimate that the over the next year they’ll be ready to bring the product to market.

“We know where we can take this,” Dee says.

“Over the next 12 months we feel that if everything goes to plan then we're ready to scale and make a really big impact on the market.”